We all have dreams Captain, don't we?
by KSIJ
Summary: He had dreams and aspirations like everybody else. He never dreamed his life would come to this, over before it began. Everything lost. AU Battle of Canary Wharf. Elements of canon with some surprises thrown in for good measure.
1. Chapter 1

He awoke to thick black smoke burning at his nostrils, the acrid stench of burning flesh making him gag; the last thing he remembered was running through the maze of aisles that made up the lower basement levels. Experimentally he shifted his body trying to escape the choking atmosphere, he could hardly move, his lower legs were trapped under an unknown weight; dejectedly he placed his hands back down only to recoil in horror at the pool of blood surrounding him. The sight of the blood seeping through the trousers of his suit was the last thing he saw as he slipped back into the encroaching darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Torchwood or any of the brands, TV shows or anything mentioned in my stories I am merely satisfying my urge to write.

Blurred thoughts, nightmares of the horrors he had witnessed flashed through his subconscious as he fought the pain in his legs, weak from blood loss and the iron grip of fear that clung to him like a vice, he slipped in and out of consciousness, each time he awoke in a panic before remembering where he was. He wondered where they had gone, the Daleks and the Cybermen, surely he should be dead by now?

As he slipped into darkness once more he clung to that little bit of hope, wishing that it was a dream and he would wake up and go into work as he did every week day. That he would go about his morning routine and dress in a sharp suit before joining the masses on the Tube and begin his working day. Not that his routine has been normal these past few weeks, not since Lisa left.

Lisa! Is she still alive? What about the others, John, Sara and Craig?

These questions kept running through his mind.

The mental and physical trauma he had undergone over the past few hours had made him so unbelievably drained, the throbbing ache in his legs and the dizziness from the blood loss kept him in a constant state of confusion. He did not know how long he had been trapped in here, a place few would voluntarily choose to enter apart from the small but dedicated team of archivists. He was the head of the small group despite his young age, his predecessor had trained him well in the art of filing and following her exit due to an 'unfortunate accident' he was swiftly moved to the head position.

He loved his job, the routine. Lisa had found it boring and preferred to enthuse about her research in the higher levels; this was just one of the many reasons for their break-up. Lisa wanted to get to the top of the career ladder. They met at a company function and hit it off straight away. After a whirlwind romance they had moved into a flat together and things had being going great, there was even talk of an engagement on the horizon. That all changed with the start of the Ghost Shifts.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Torchwood or any of the brands, TV shows or anything mentioned in my stories I am merely satisfying my urge to write.

_Flashback_

'Ianto! Ianto!'

This was the call that had been the bane of my existence for the past month, Lisa, as usual was in a rush to get to work. It was only seven am but we had been up for an hour already. The working day did not technically start until half past eight and it took a short twenty minute journey to reach the business district of Canary Wharf and Torchwood tower.

Lisa was determined to get into work early and often I would leave at the end of the day and she would still be ensconced away in the labs with her colleagues doing some mystery experiment that she was 'not at liberty to say'. Typical we had been living together for nearly a year now, worked in the same building but I was still not privy to this mystery experiment.

We finally made it into work an hour early and I barely got a goodbye at the lifts let alone a kiss or plans to meet for lunch and she was off with her co-workers. Not that I was bitter, I was happy that she had found her niche at work and was being successfully, I just wish she had more time for us as a couple. It had been weeks since we had been out on a date, and even then she was agitated and anxious to get back to her computer. That date had ended in an argument and me being kicked out of the bedroom for the night.

Dejectedly I headed down to the basement levels where the archives were, breathing a sigh of relief as the organised expanse came into view it felt like entering a calm, tranquil environment. I hadn't expected to find any of my co-workers in at this time of the morning so I headed over to the coffee machine to set myself up for the day.

The day went as a typical day in the Torchwood archives should, I catalogued the items the retrieval and scientists had finished with including a rather interestingly shaped object the researchers had dubbed 'Space boomerang'. Who comes up with these names he asked himself. Not exactly imaginative.

Suddenly a grey shadow appeared in the corner, almost dropping his 'space boomerang' in fright before his training kicked in and Ianto slowly backed out of the area picking up the communication device as he went.

It turned out it was not only the archives that experienced the 'ghosts' as Yvonne Hartman called them in her statement to the press but all over the country.

AS quickly as they arrived the 'ghosts' vanished leaving behind perplexed civilians and concerned Torchwood employees.

'But what are they really?' asked Ianto.

'I can't tell you, classified information Ianto, sorry'

'I can't help it if I work in the archives not in the fancy research labs, I still love you Lisa, we live together but you never have the time for us. Its just one secret after the other with you and I'm sick of it!' cried Ianto.

'…I…um….oh Ianto, I didn't want it to come to this!' Lisa shouted. 'I thought you would never find out and remain good old Ianto, reliable Ianto.'

Ianto stared at her in shock. What was happening?

'I've been having an affair…with Dr Singh, from work. We didn't mean for it to happen, we just couldn't – '

'- Save it Lisa, I can't take any more of this. I'm moving out. Now.'

Ianto was devastated, what was he going to do?

_End Flashback_

When Ianto woke once more, he expected to find the horrors of the Tower, however he found the bright white lights and the steady beep…beep…beep of monitors.

'Ahh you're finally awake Mr Jones.' He looked towards the voice and found an attractive looking young man. 'My name is Dr Wilson. Do you know where you are?'

Ianto tried to answer but the words caught in his throat, the doctor lifted a glass of water to his lips and instructed him to drink slowly.

'Hospital' Ianto replied his voice hoarse from disuse.

'That's right,' the Doctor replied, 'you have been here for three weeks, do you remember waking up yesterday?'

Three weeks! How? Why?

Wide eyed he responded 'No'

The doctor nodded and continued to check for his awareness and vitals.

'You were brought in by a rather snarky man and some UNIT soldiers, its lucky they found you when they did, any longer and you would have bled to death.'

He shuddered. Death. It's become so real to him, seeing the bodies of his colleagues and the screams as they were upgraded.

'Do you know anything about Canary Wharf? The Tower? Survivors?' Ianto babbled in panic. Who was left? Lisa?

They may not be together any longer but he still loved her, despite what she had done.

'What's wrong with me Doc?'

The Doctor grimaced as he turned back to his patient. The grim look said it all.


End file.
